Lunar Ice
by The Heroes of Olympus Girl
Summary: Fanfic entry for The Lunar Chronicles...but I lost. Based on the Snow Queen, takes place during Cress. Kyra Opilio is the closest thing Luna has to meteorologist, but with an undermining rebellion to pair with Princess Winter.


**Hi! This was for the Lunar Chronicles writing contest, but I lost? But here it is for you to enjoy! Thanks! Takes place during Cress.**

 _Inhale. Exhale. Inhale..._

Kyra tried to steady her breathing, but it was an exercise in futility. Her new co-workers had told her not to worry, that the one-on-one meeting with the queen wasn't something to worry about. But they didn't have forbidden knowledge. They didn't have to keep a passive expression while voices-and souls-were extinguished, all in the name of the queen. Fiddling with a button on her coat, Kyra glanced at the clock.

 _One more minute_. She thought bitterly. The ominous ticking echoed in her skull, reminding her that these seconds, these minutes, might very well be among her last.

Kyra had been hoping for this job since she was a little girl, watching the staged propaganda Artemisia broadcasted. Of course, she didn't know that it was propaganda then. But now, after all she had been through, she could see how it embellished a position in the palace with only a single glance.

But then she met Princess Winter, the supposed "hidden gem" of the Lunar court. Even in her voluntary isolation from the world, whispers that her looks surpassed those of Queen Levana herself had reached her.

She was also supposed to be crazy.

That was until Winter told her the harsh truth, the cruel operation occurring behind Palace walls. All under the control of Queen Levana.

"Are you prepared?"

Kyra jumped, spinning around to face her stone faced superior, Dr. Brink.

The woman made her skin tingle. Chocolate hair wrapped in a tight bun and eyes darker than regolith dust paired to create a stern look that said, _You mess up, you can kiss Artemisia goodbye._

" Y-yes ma'am. I'm just a bit nervous, that's all." Kyra tucked a loose curl behind her ear.

Graham used to joke about how pale her hair was, calling her his Snowflake in his baritone voice. Flashes of romantic dinners and loving stories filled her head, before he went missing...

" Well, Miss Opilio, the Queen is quite interested in your work in possible seasonal changes on Luna. Complete sentences. Straight to the point. And absolutely no stammering." Dr. Brink said in a sharp manner. Her tone made it clear that she didn't care what happened to Kyra.

The Doctor turned, her stilettos clicking across the spotless floor. Kyra allowed herself a slow breath, a wisp of relief.

Turning toward the elevator, Kyra mentally went over Winter's warning.

 _"You have to be careful what you say, Kyra." Winter breathed, her harmonious voice drenched with worry and raw desperation._

 _"My Mother would kill you if she found out what I told you, I'm so sorry I put you in danger. But ever since Scarlet-"_

 _Kyra balked. " Who's Scarlet?"_

 _Winter's warm eyes shone in the unnatural glow of the tiles beneath their feet. A wide grin crinkled the jagged scars that ran down her cheeks. " She's the new pet in my menagerie, but guess what?"_

 _Kyra tried to hide the annoyance bubbling in her mind, Winter knew she hated guessing games. She was a scientist, it irked her when she didn't know the answer to a problem. However, she was more concerned with Queen Levana, the Monarch she had trusted for so long, had actually wanted to work for. Now if she had the slightest twinkle of suspicion in her icy eyes, she would be dead within a fortnight._

 _Luckily for Kyra, Winters energy bypassed her hesitation. She beckoned for Kyra to lean forward. " She's a friend of Linh Cinder!" Winter said in her most delicate whisper._

The chime of the elevators arrival shattered her thoughts. Kyra gripped her port, knuckles turning white. Every beat of her heart she heard, achingly loud to the buzz of activity behind her.

The reflective doors slid open revealing the Lunar Queen Levana, flanked by her Thaumaturges.

What unnerved her the most?

Her majesty's veil.

Silver thread embroidered in elaborate designs of the Milky Way, stars that shone in a blinding white, colors that overlapped and blotted. With every step the Queen took, the fabric shifted, a swirling vortex of color.

Kyra might not be able to see beyond the veil, but she knew that the Queen could see her perfectly. Every fidget, every nervous glance.

"Ah! Our precious prodigy. The youngest to ever become a Scientist at the Palace, is that correct my dear?"

The Queen gave a flourish with her hand, and her Thaumaturges stepped back into the elevator, leaving the two alone.

The comment left a sting of embarrassment. At eighteen, Kyra was indeed the youngest to ever work in the palace laboratory's, though she often denied the fact. Kyra tried to ignore the loathing glances burned into her retinas by colleagues who called her a 'friend'.

But Kyra knew that if she were to live, she'd have to play a role.

"Yes, your majesty. I myself, am honored to be a part of this team." Had she smiled too much? Had her voice been too chipper?"

The Queen chuckled. " Now I want to hear about your unusual work, I can only spare a couple minutes, however, I'm must pack for my journey to Earth. I trust you've heard of my engagement to Emperor Kaito?"

Kyra cursed internally, she should have congratulated the Queen for her wedding. Now the Queen must know something was amiss.

" Of course, your Majesty, I wish you a happy engagement. I hope you would like to see my research."

Kyra tried a nonchalant voice, but not quite. She didn't need to sound disrespectful. She led the Queen to a glass dome, a miniature copy of Luna. Kyra could feel the Queen's eyes bearing into her. She hoped her Majesty didn't notice her shaking.

" As you know, I specialize in weather patterns, climates, and , Luna could never have the same natural weather or season changes as Earth. The problem was, how could we copy Earth's natural rotation and amount of sunlight to achieve similar seasons? How could we possibly create cumulus or stratus clouds into our atmosphere? Or could we even strive for the possibility of snow? Indeed, we can create these things in a room, but I believe I may have found the answer to spread weather into our sectors." Kyra began her explanation, finding her ordeal to be easier when she talked about her specialty.

Turning toward the Queen, Kyra noticed the slight tilt of the Levana's head. Hopefully it was out of curiosity, not the scheming of many different forms of death to befit a young Scientist who committed treason against the crown. Gesturing to her model, Kyra turned two knobs on either side, letting the contents of two canisters enter the model.

" In the right container, we have cold, dense air. In the left container we have warm, less dense air. On Earth, when these two air fronts are combined, we get things such as storms and blizzards. "

In the miniature Luna, fluffy white cumulus clouds began to form, though it would be a while before they got rain.

" The different ascents or direction of these fronts control what type of weather we could receive."

The Queen ran a flawless pale hand over the model, blood red nails brushing the surface of the glass. " And how do you propose to accomplish this?"

Kyra bit her tongue. Now, to make her pitch.

"We would have to create two domes, smaller than Artemesia, but big enough to hold several billion gallons of a combination of atmospheric gases. We would have to have resealable pipes to control the amount released into Luna's atmosphere. Similar to the centers that control Luna's humidity."

Kyra stood awkwardly, waiting for the Lunar Queen to pass judgement.

A few seconds passed, infinite in Kyra's jumbled mind.

"Impressive, I would like to see this in action. We could convert some broken down humidity plants into these. But the more pressing concern is to what shall be the first storm on Luna?"

Queen Levana turned, and that's when Kyra felt the intrusion, energy slithering into her thoughts. All she had to do was tell Levana what was really happening...

" A snow storm." Kyra blurted, using her own Lunar gift to deflect the Queens small breach.

" In New Beijing, it will be Winter soon. We could follow its season and weather cycle."

Kyra hoped she didn't sound as panicked as she felt. If the Queen had forced a confession from her lips...

"Very well. It seems that Luna shall have Winter very soon. Perhaps even in time to celebrate my daughter's birthday, yes?"

Kyra didn't know whether she was supposed to reply or not. Nevertheless, she gave the queen a pleasant smile. "Yes, my Queen. Perhaps it will be so, if everything goes as planned."

"Yes, yes." The Queen waved it off. " You've made astounding progress. Have a good day, Miss Opilio."

Queen Levana's voice seemed too devious for the words she spoke.

Kyra bowed, watching as the Queen sauntered to the elevator, not waiting a second before she entered with her Thaumaturges.

" How did it go?" Winter took her hand, eyebrows peaked in curiosity.

Still trembling from the brief but terrifying encounter with the Queen, Kyra tried to steady her voice, which annoyingly went to soprano every time she tried to use it.

" Well, I'm not dead yet."

Kyra knew that Winter was sensitive, so she tried to smile. But an invisible force of overwhelming worry refused to allow a grin.

" And I'm very glad, but I need you're help. Scarlet is hurt and in pain, and I need something to help, do you think you can get something to help her?"

Kyra almost refused, she was already risking her life because of Winter. She hated living in fear of dying, even if what you were doing was right. She also remembered Scarlet's story. A tough earthen accomplice of Linh Cinder with fiery hair and ferocious attitude to match.

But if she was a friend of Linh Cinder...

"I know someone, he used to be a friend of my boyfriend...he works in the hospital, I could get some painkillers." Kyra regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.

Why was she talking about Graham? It would always break her heart, the mere mention of his name. She felt compelled to voice his beautiful title aloud, so that a memory of his ghost would live on. Kyra felt soft fingers, though they should have been coated in calluses. Playful kisses on her cheeks, telling her not to run off with another... They could have been happy. If not for his unexplained disappearance three years ago.

" You have a beau?" Winter asked, looking a little miffed.

" H-he went missing a few years back. " Kyra tried not to cry, the painful memory of the Lunar soldiers telling her the news of her beloved. She had felt as if a shard of glass was working its way through to her heart, reflecting her love, but mockingly.

" It's fine, it's been years, besides we have more pressing concerns, how will you get the painkillers into the menagerie without anyone noticing?" Kyra trying in vain to change the subject.

" My apple candies, they appear quite harmless." Winter still looked curious, but was thankful that she didn't ask any more questions.

" I believe Linh Cinder is going to take over Luna."

The rebellious sentence voiced out of an seemingly innocent Winter left Kyra gaping.

" And when Cinder comes, we need a distraction. Any ideas?"

Kyra overcame her senses. Something rebellious. Something distracting.

It had been forever, but the shard of glass, a broken mirror of a heart once filled with undying love began to twist. Kyra embraced the pain, an idea so wickedly good, it made her shiver.

What she was going to do, she would most certainly die for doing.

Kyra smiled at an expectant Winter.

" I'm going to make it snow."

 **Hey! I hope you enjoyed, don't forget to check out my other stories. And especially don't forget to review! Ciao!**


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